Electric laundry-iron.



No.'8o9,529. PATBNTED JAN. 9, 1906.

E. H. RICHARDSON. ELECTRIC LAUNDRY IRON.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 25, 1905.

UNITED STAES PATENT OFFICE.

EARL H. RICHARDSON` OF ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO PACIFIC ELECTRIC HEATING COMPANY, OF ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA, A lCORPO- RATION OF CALIFORNIA.

ELECTRIC LAUNDRY-IRON.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906.

Application filed April 25, 1905. Serial No. 257,386.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL H. RICHARDSON, a citizen of the United States, residingat Ontario, in the county of San Bernardino and State of California, have invented a new and useful Electric Laundry-Iron, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to laundry-irons which are heated by means of an electric current which is passed through a resistance arranged in the body of the iron.

Heretofore in electric laundr -irons the intermediate part of the sole o the iron has been heated to an excessive degree in order to heat the toe to a degree sufficient to perform pressing; and the main object of the present invention is to heat the toe of the iron to an operative degreesuficient to enable pressing to be performed by the toe and yet not excessively heat the main part of the body or central part of the sole; and a further object ais to provide means for conveying the requisite heat directly to the toe. In electric laundry-irons heretofore the same difficulty was present in operatively heating the heel of the iron; and another object is to heat the heel of the iron and both corners thereof to an operative degree without excessively heating the intermediate part of the sole.

While the prime objects of the invention are to heat the extremities of the sole, as above stated, to an operative degree,it should be understood that it is also an object to uniformly heat the entire sole of the iron to an even degree.

Another object is to cause the coils of resistance-wire which girdle the core to tightly hug the core, so that the solenoid uninterruptedly from end to end lies in close contact with the core, and thereby imparts as much of its heat as possible to the core; and a further object is to secure a large extent of fiat contact of the solenoid with the body of the iron immediately above, but close to, the sole.

, Another object of this invention is to provide a laundry-iron of the character described having few parts, which are readily assemibled and in which the cost of construction is A further object is to provide a novel form of stand for supporting the iron on end and for protectingthe switch-plug and terminals from injury or from contact with the table or Wire or cord to break at the point where it joins the switch-plug.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fi side elevation of the invention, s owing the iron tipped on end and supported by the stand. Fig. 2 is a rear end e evation, of the iron in operating osition. Fig. 3 is a plan with the cover an upper part of the iron removed, showingthe interior. ,Fig 4 is a transverse section on line m4 x4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the' heel of the iron with the stand and cover removed, showing the stationary spring-contacts. Fi 6 is a perspective view of the detachable p ug.

l designates the body of the iron, having a sole 2, toe 3, and heel 4. The main part of the body of the iron is hollow, as shown; but the` toe of the iron has in this embodiment a solid portion 5 with two recesses 6, Which extend nearly to the'front face of the toe and nearly to the bottom or sole and which diverge toward the rear. Each corner ofthe heel has in this embodiment a solid portion 7, which is provided with a recess 8, similar to a recess 6.

re lis a.

A pair of brass cores 9 are employed, each of which is substantially triangular in crossfitting tightly within the recesses 6, as shown. Covering the body of each core is one or more thin sheets of insulating material, such as mica 11, and wound upon the mica 11 is a Wire l2. The ends of both wires on the cores are connected together near the toe, as shown in Fig. 3, While the rear ends of the wires are connected, respectively, to bindingposts 13 and 14, which extend through the rear Wall 15 of the body and are insulated therefrom by Washers 16, of mica or other non-conducting material. The outer ends of `Within the recesses 8 and the front tongues the binding-posts 13 and 111 are respectively provided with contact-clips 17 and 18. (See Figs. 3 and 5.)

Arranged upon the bottom plate 19 are one or more thin sheets of non-electrical conductingmaterial 20, such as mica, while resting flat upon the mica sheets 20 are the lower straight runs of the coils of wire 12. The mica 11 prevents contact of the wire with the cores 9, and consequent short-circuiting, while the mica 20 prevents electric contact of the wires 12 with the bottom plate 19, but allows heat to pass from the wires to the bottom plate.

Above the wire-wound cores is a sheet of non-heat-conducting material 21, such as asbestos, the edges of which are cut with a contour flush with the side faces of the body of the iron. Above the asbestos 21 is a cover 22, which is fastened to the body of the iron by screws 23. The cover 22 has a downwardly-projecting boss 24, which bears upon the top of the asbestos sheet 21 and bends the same downward slightly. The boss 24 affords a fastening-body for screws 25, by which a bail 26 is secured to the cover, there being an intervening layer of asbestos 27, which prevents passage of heat from the cover to the bail, a handle 28 being fastened to the bail.

In the present embodiment, cast preferably integral with the cover 22, at the rear end thereof, is a hollow lug 29, in which is slidably mounteda switch-plug 30, having terminals (not shown) for contacting with the tongues 17 and 18 when the plug 3() is pushed in, so that a stop 31 strikes against the edge of the lug 29, as shown in Fig. 1.

Secured to the lug 29 is a hood or stand 32, which covers and protects the ends of the binding-posts 13 and 14 and the tongues 17 and 18 and the inner end of the plug 30. In the present embodiment the hood 32 is formed of sheet metal and has its free edge formed into a roll 33, which prevents the edge of the hood from scratching or tearing material. The hood 32 also`forms a stand, with the lug 29, to hold the iron in upright position, the roll 33 being preferably pro- 'ected slightly below the bottom face of the ood, so as to incline the iron back from the perpendicular, as shown in Fig. 1, to bring the center of gravity as much as possible toward the center of the area embraced by the stand to prevent the iron from tipping accidentally from its upright position as easily as it might if the iron were supported perpendicularly.

Attached to the end of the plug 30 is a T 34:, around the cross-barrel of which the conducting-cords 35 are each given a turn, as shown in Fig. 6. Owing to the easy curve of the barrel, abrupt bending or kinking of the conducting-cords at the point of attachment is obviated, and the possibility of breaksoe, ses

age of the conducting-cord is thereby greatly reduced.

When the plug 30 is pushed down so that electrical connection is made with the tongues 17 and 18, the current passes through the wires 12 and the heat generated from the resistance-wire is imparted to the cores 9, the tongues 10 of which being in tight or intimate contact with both the toe and heel of the iron impart a relatively greater heat to these eXtreme and exposed parts than is imparted to the main part of the body. The central portion of the sole is heated by conduction from the extremities of the sole and by heat which passes downwardly from the flat bottom faces of the cores 9 and wire 12, through the mica sheet 20, to the bottom plate. rlhus the sole of the iron is heated uniformly throughout, the necessary greater percentage of heat being given to the toe and heels by the direct contact of the tongues 10, as these exposed corners have a greater radiating surface, which tends to cool, them andy therefore require a greater amount of heat than the central part of the sole, which is surrounded by the mass of metal, and for the further reason that the toe performs the greater amount of work and comes first into contact with the moist material being pressed, which tends to cool it. This feature of heating the toe and heel of the iron is of great value and, so far as I am aware, is essentially novel and unique.

The slidable mounting of the plug 30 in the lug 29 is of marked advanta e, as in order to disconnect the plug from t e terminals 17 and 18 it is not necessary to separate the plug 30 completely from the iron, as this disconnection may be accomplished by simply pulling out the plug slightly and the lug 29 will still slidably support the plug while out of connection with the tongues 17 and 18, whether the iron is being used or not. Thus in ironing if the iron should get too hot the plug 30 may be pulled out of connection, but left in the socket-lug 29 without interrupting the manipulation of the iron. Again, when the iron cools, so that more heat is desired, the plug may be pushed back into contact without interrupting the manipulation of the iron. In this manner the temperature of the iron can be maintained within reasonable required limits and the electricity used for heating the iron conserved beneficially.

What I claim isl. A laundry-iron having a hollow body with eXtra metal portions in each corner, and means in the metal at each corner for directly heating the exposed corners of the iron.

2. In a laundry-iron, a body with a toe, a core the end of which is in the toe, and resistance-wire wound on the core, whereby the toe is directly electrically heated.

3. In alaundry-iron, a body with toe and heel corners, cores with ends projecting into IOO IIL)

IIS

, body with an intervening the toe and heel corners, and resistance-wire wound on the cores.

4. Ina laundry-iron, a body with a toe having a recess, a core with a tongue tightly itting said recess, and resistance-wire wound on the core.

5. In a laundry-iron, a bodywith a toe having recesses diverging toward the rear, cores with tongues tightly iitting the recesses, and resistance-wire wound on the cores.

6. In alaundry-iron, a body with toe and heel corners having recesses, cores with tongues'tightly iitting the recesses, and resistance-wire wound on the cores.

7. A core,the face of which has one lat portion and the remainder convex, and resistance-wire wound on the core.

8. In an electric laundry-iron, a body with a sole, a core, the face of which has one flat portion and the remainder convex, wire wound on {the core, the flat face of the core being arranged parallel With and close to the sheet of non-electrical conducting materiaI.

9. In an electric laundryiron, a hollow body, the heel and toe corner portions of which have recesses, a pair of cores with their ends close together at the front and diverging toward the rear, each end of each core having a tongue which tightly fits in the adj acent corner-recess, and resistance-wire wound on the core.

10. In an electric laundry-iron, a hollow body Ythe heel and toe corner portions of which have recesses, a pair of cores with their ends close together at the front and diverging toward the rear, leach end of each core having a tongue which tightly fits in the adjacent corner-recess, resistance-wire wound on the core, and binding-posts projecting through the body with their inner ends lying between the cores, the wire on the cores being connected With the binding-posts.

'11. In an electric laundry-iron, a hollow body, the heel and toe corner portions of which have recesses, a pair of cores with their ends close together at the front and diverging toward the rear, each end of each core having a tongue which tightly fits in the adjacent corner-recess, resistance-wire wound on the core, binding-posts projecting through the body with their inner ends lying between the cores, the wire on the cores being connected with the binding-posts, and a suitable cover detachably fastened to the body.

12. In an electric laundry-iron, a hollow body, the heel and toe corner portions of which have recesses, a pair of cores with their ends close together at the front and diverging toward the rear,r each end of each core having a tongue which tightly iits in the adjacent corner-recess, resistance-wire wound on the core, binding-posts projecting through the body with their inner ends lying between the cores, the wire on the cores being connected with the binding-posts, and a hoodattached to the body and protecting the external portions of the binding-posts and forming a stand for the iron.

13. In an electric laundry-iron, a hollow body, the heel and toe corner portions of which have recesses, a pair of cores with their ends close together at the front and diverging toward the rear, each end of each core having a tongue which tightly its in the ad-. jacent corner-recess, resistance-wire Wound on the core, binding-posts projecting through the body with their inner ends lying between the cores, the wire on the cores being connected with the bindin -posts, and a hollow lug formed on the rear o the body for receiving and guiding a switch-plug.

14. In an electric laundry-iron, a hollow body the heel and toe corners of which have recesses, a pair of cores with their ends close together at the front and diverging toward the rear, each end of each core having a tonguewhich tightly iits in the adjacent corner-recess, resistance-wire wound on the core, binding-posts projecting through the body with their inner ends lying between the cores, the wire on the cores bemgA connected with the binding-posts, and a hollow lug formed on the rear of the body for receiving and guiding a switch-plug, the lug forming an extension ofthe hood and combining therewith to form a stand for the iron.

15. In a laundry-iron, a body with a toe, a core the end of which is in the toe, resistancewire Wound 011 the core, binding-posts carried by the body and connected with the wire, terminals carried by the binding-posts, and a hollow lug on the rear end of the body protectingthe ends of the terminals and adapted to receive and guide a switchlug IOO intocontact with the terminals or to hol the plug slidably fr ee from the terminals.

16. In a laundry-iron, a body with a toe, a core the end of which is in thetoe, resistancewire wound on the core, binding-posts carried' by the body and connected with the wire, terminals carried by the binding-posts, a hollow lug on the rear of the body protecting the ends of the terminals, and a hood attached to the lug covering the terminals and formin with the lug a stand for the iron.

17. n an electric laundryiron, a body, electric heating means in. said body, terminals for the electric heating meansextending outside the body, and a hood rotecting the terminals and forming a stand or the iron.

18. In an electric laundry-iron, a body, electric heating means in said body, terminals for the electric heating means extending outside the body, and a hood protecting the terminals and forming a stand for the iron, thlel free edge of the hood being Jformed in a ro 19. In an electric laundry-iron, a body,

yelectric heating means in said bodyl terminais for the electric heating means extending outside the body, and a hood protecting the terminals and forming a stand for the iron, the free edge of the hood being formed in a roll, the bottom face of which lies below the around which member the wire is wound` with one or more turns, whereby as the mi-x plement is moved, abrupt bending or kinking of the wire is prevented where the wire joins the implement.

21. ln combination with an electricallyheated movable implement, the current for `which is supplied from a stationary point through a wire leading therefrom. to the movable implement, means for connecting the wire with the implement embracing a switchplug, a T on 'the end of the ilug, the wire passing over the curved face of the cross-bar of the "n".

22. ln combination with an electricallyheated movable implement, the current for which is supplied from a stationary point through a wire leading therefrom to the movable implement, `means for connecting the Wire to the implement comprising a switchplug, a round member over which the conducting-wire is wound, and means on the plug for supporting the round member near the end of the plug, whereby as the implement is moved abrupt bending or kinking of the wire is prevented where the wire joins the implement. p

23. ln combination with an electricallyheated movable im )lenient the current for which is supplied rom a stationary point through a wire leading therefrom to the movable implement, means for connecting the wire to the implement comprising a switchplug, and a T on the end thereof, the wire passing over the T1", whereby as the implement is moved abrupt bending or kinliing of the wire is prevented where the wire eins the implement.

24. A. laundry-iron having a body with a toe, and means for imparting a relatively greater heat to the toe than to the main part of the body.

25. An electric laundry-iron having a body with a toe, and means for imparting a relatively greater electric heat to the toe than to the main part of the body.

26. A laundry-iron having a body with a toe and heel, and means for imparting a relatively greater heat to the toe and heel corners than to the main part of the body.

27. An electric lauiidry-iron having a body with a toe and heel, and means for imparting a relatively greater electric heat to the toe and heel corners than to the main part 'of the body.

28. ln an electrically heated device, in combination with the element to be heated, a core, resistance for heating the core, and means for securing an uninterrupted heatconducting connection between the core and body to be heated.

29. In an electricallyheated device, in combination with the element to be heated, a core, resistance for heating the core, the core having intimate contact with the element to be heated.

30. A laundry-iron having a body with a heel, and means for imparting a relatively greater heat to the corners of the heel than to the main part of the body.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Los Angeles, California, this 9th day of March, 1905.

4 EARL lll. REGHARDSGN. 

